BYLAWS OF THE BINATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF COMMUNICATION
A membership nonprofit public service corporation
Article I
Objectives
1. This corporation is a non-political public service organization and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is organized exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes, including the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the US. Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, and Mexican laws, as applicable. The objectives shall include:
a. To promote sharing of information and experience among college and university faculty and students in Mexico and the United States in the fi of communication: media, linguistics, research, the arts and literature.
b. To promote exchanges and joint projects among faculty and students from colleges and universities in Mexico and the United States.
c. To promote shared perspectives for addressing instruction, applications, and research in communication issues.
d. To encourage the use of multicultural communication as a vehicle to articulate and help solve problems of society in general.
e. To be available to advise groups, associations and institutions on communication issues.
Article II
Institutional Membership
2.1 Membership will be institutional in nature with one vote extended to each institution (institutional vote will represent 3 votes). All faculty members, students, and administrators of an institution will be considered eligible to be members of the Association. (Amended October 2017).
2.2 Institutions are eligible for membership if they have a curriculum in communications or related disciplines.
2.3 To become a member anon-member institution should be sponsored by a member institution and should present an application describing their eligibility according to the criteria outlined in 2.2. A membership committee shall review the application and the full association shall vote on acceptance. Membership must be approved by two‐thirds of the member institutions. During the first six months, these institutions will be non-voting provisional members.
2.4 An annual membership fee of $400 shall be assessed at the beginning of the US fiscal year of each member institution. These moneys and any profit from the annual Encounter or other Association activities shall be maintained by the treasurers for future use.
2.5 The membership of any institution shall terminate when the university resigns from the Association, fails to pay dues, or no longer offers a curriculum in the field of communications.
2.6 No member shall be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, or obligations of the Association.
Individual Membership
2.7 Individuals may become voting members by applying to the membership committee. An individual member will have one vote (it will represent 1 vote). Individual members may be educators, researchers, students or professionals in the field of communication. Upon acceptance, individual members must pay an annual fee of $25. (Amended October 2017).
2.8 Founding members will be regarded as lifetime honorary members of the Association.
Affiliate Membership
2.9 Affiliate membership is available to educators, researchers, professionals, students in the field of communication who are interested in participating in the organization but may not be able to attend all meetings or participate in all BINACOM activities. Affiliate members will not have voting ability. Upon acceptance, affiliate members must pay an annual fee of $15. (Added October 2017).
Article III
Membership Meetings
3.1 All meetings will be held in member universities or other designated facilities. The location of the meetings will alternate every month.
3.2 Quorum. A quorum is always the legal majority of institutions present.
Article IV
Officers
4.1 The officers of the Association shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, U.S., Secretary, Mexico, Treasurer, Mexico, and Treasurer U.S. The President and the Vice President will be from the opposite side of the border and the country of origin of the President will alternate every term. A Secretary and Treasurer will be elected from each side of the border.
4.2 The term of office shall be two years for all officers.
4.3 The officers of the Association may be any faculty from a member institution, any individual member who has been a member for at least the previous twelve months, or any founding member.
4.4 Officer’s duties:
a. The President shall carry out the policies of the Association. S/he shall preside at membership meetings, shall serve as an ex officio member of all committees, and supervise and direct the affairs of the Association.
b. Vice President. The Vice President shall assist the President and preside at meetings in the absence of the President.
c. The secretaries shall keep a full and complete record of the proceedings of the Association. They shall supervise the maintenance of minutes and the notifications of committee members of meetings. As much as is practical, secretaries’ minutes and transactions shall be maintained in both English and Spanish.
d. The treasurers shall receive and safely keep all funds of the Binational Association and deposit them with such depositories as may be designated by the Binational Association. Treasurers’ proceedings also shall be maintained in both English and Spanish.
e. The officers shall also serve as the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
Article V
Committees
5.1 Committees of the Association shall be established by the designation of the president or the vote of the membership. They shall be abolished through the same procedure.
5.2 Each committee will have one chair from the US and one from Mexico who will report regularly at the membership meetings.
5.3 The following standing committees have been designated by the Association:
a. Conference Committee: Responsible for planning the annual encounter.
b. Research Committee: Responsible for coordinating joint research projects, and maintaining archives of pertinent research by member institutions.
c. Fundraising Committee: Responsible for developing funding resources for the Association.
d. Collaborative Projects Committee: Responsible for coordinating collaborative productions and other educational and creative exchanges between institutions.
CREATION OF BINACOM ADVISORY COUNCIL
Regulations of the Advisory Council of the Binational Association of Communication Schools (Binacom)
Originally proposed on December 8, 2023 by Armando Gutiérrez Ortega. (Modified on February 23, 2024 by Antonieta Mercado and Rebeca Arévalo, Modifications and corrections by Antonieta Mercado and Lourdes Cueva Chacón).
Unanimously Approved by formal vote on: [April 26, 2024]
Article 1: Establishment and Commencement of Functions
1.1 The Advisory Council of the Binational Association of Communication Schools (hereinafter referred to as the Council) shall be established upon its collective approval (on May 31, 2024) and consists of 4 members.
Article 2: Functions of the Council
2.1 The Council’s main functions include supporting collective decision-making within the association, and advising its leadership. For this purpose, council members will meet with the President, the Vice-President and the Secretary at least twice a year and in special meetings that require important decision-making about the direction and objectives of the organization, positions of leadership, membership in other organizations, partnerships, special projects and any other relevant matters concerning BINACOM’s future. Council members can summon the current President and Vice-President to special meetings if considered necessary. Council member functions also include encouraging dialogue and consensus within the organization.
2.2 The Council also will ensure the continuity of BINACOM’s activities through the preservation of the organization’s memory and history. Council members can contribute with narratives that help keep the history of Binational Encuentros, meetings, photographic and video archives, and other materials generated over the years that ensure the preservation of the organization’s binational history. For this purpose, the members of the Council may organize special committees to support the collection and preservation of the memory of each Encounter and other events, and provide this information to be included on the organization’s website, as well as in memoirs, compilations, and other forms of publishing and preserving the history of BINACOM.
Article 3: Composition of the Council
3.1 The Council shall be composed of professors or researchers from associated institutions who have actively participated in the organization (as part of a committee, former members of the Executive Board, or as organizers of discussion, round tables, promotion, or other events related to BINACOM functions) in at least one of the association’s biennial meetings. Preference shall be given to organization members whose participation has been continuous for two or more Encuentros.
3.2 The Council shall consist of two representatives from member universities in the United States and two representatives from member universities in Mexico.
3.3 Council members shall be formally proposed in a letter addressed to the President of the organization, and approved by consensus among the association members during working meetings. Self-nominations may also be considered and collectively approved by the organization members during their working meetings.
3.4 In the event that a council member is unable to continue in their position, the universities from the country they represent shall propose a new person to the association. Vacant positions cannot remain unfilled for more than 60 days.
Article 5: Duration and Renewal of the Council (2 YEARS)
5.1 The Council shall remain in office until one semester after the biennial appointment of the association’s president.
Article 6: Honorary Appointment
6.1 The members of the Council shall serve in an honorary capacity and shall not receive any remuneration.
Article 7: Unaddressed Matters
7.1 Any matter not addressed in these regulations shall be submitted to the consideration of Binacom members for collective resolution.
ESPAÑOL
CREACIÓN DEL CONSEJO CONSULTIVO DE BINACOM
PROPUESTA PARA CONSIDERACIÓN DE LOS MIEMBROS DE BINACOM
Originalmente propuesto el 8 de diciembre de 2023 por Armando Gutiérrez Ortega. (Modificado el 23 de febrero de 2024 por Antonieta Mercado y Rebeca Arévalo, Modificaciones y correcciones por Antonieta Mercado y Lourdes Cueva Chacón).
Reglamento del Consejo Consultivo de la Asociación Binacional de Escuelas de Comunicación (Binacom)
Fecha de Aprobación por voto unánime: [26 de abril, 2024)
Artículo 1: Establecimiento y Entrada en Funciones
1.1 El Consejo Consultivo de la Asociación Binacional de Escuelas de Comunicación (en adelante, el Consejo) será establecido a partir de su aprobación colegiada (fecha) y consta de 4 integrantes.
Artículo 2: Funciones del Consejo
2.1 El Consejo tiene como funciones principales apoyar la toma de decisiones colectivas de la asociación, así como aconsejar a la dirigencia de la organización y brindar continuidad en las funciones de BINACOM. Con este fin, los miembros del consejo se reunirán con su Presidente, Vicepresidente y Secretario (a/e) al menos dos veces al año y en reuniones especiales que requieran una toma de decisiones importante sobre la dirección y objetivos de la organización, los puestos de liderazgo, la membresía en otras organizaciones, los proyectos especiales y cualquier otro asunto relevante relacionado con el futuro de BINACOM. El Consejo también puede convocar a los titulares de la Presidencia y Vicepresidencia a reuniones especiales si se considera necesario. Las funciones de los miembros del consejo también incluyen fomentar el diálogo y el consenso dentro de la organización. Con este fin, los miembros del Consejo podrán organizar comités especiales que apoyen la recopilación y preservación de la memoria de cada Encuentro y eventos organizados, y proporcionar esta información para que se incluya en el sitio web, así como en memorias, compilaciones y otras formas de publicar y preservar la historia de BINACOM.
2.2. Como parte de sus funciones, el consejo también velará por la continuidad de las actividades de BINACOM a través de la preservación de la memoria y la historia de la organización. Los miembros del Consejo pueden contribuir con narrativas que ayudan a mantener la historia de los Encuentros Binacionales, las reuniones, los archivos fotográficos y de video, así como otros materiales generados a lo largo de los años que aseguren la preservación de la historia binacional de la organización.
Artículo 3: Composición del Consejo
3.1 El Consejo estará integrado por profesores o investigadores de instituciones asociadas que hayan participado activamente en la organización (como parte de un comité, como ex-miembro del Comité Ejecutivo, o como organizadores de discusiones, mesas redondas, paneles, promotores y otros eventos relacionados con las funciones de BINACOM) de al menos uno de los encuentros bienales de la asociación. Habrá preferencia para los miembros de la organización cuya participación sea continua por dos o más encuentros.
3.2 La composición del Consejo será de dos representantes de Estados Unidos y dos representantes de México.
3.3 Los miembros del Consejo serán propuestos formalmente en una carta dirigida a la presidencia de la organización y aprobados por consenso por los miembros de la asociación durante las juntas de trabajo. También puede haber auto-nominaciones que serán discutidas y aprobadas colectivamente por los miembros de la organización durante sus juntas de trabajo.
3.4. En caso de que algún consejero no pueda continuar con su cargo, las universidades del país que representa, propondrán a una nueva persona ante la asociación. Los puestos no pueden quedar vacantes por más de 60 días.
Artículo 5: Duración y Renovación del Consejo
5.1 El Consejo estará en funciones hasta un semestre después del nombramiento bianual de la persona que ocupe la presidencia de la asociación.
Artículo 6: Asignación Honoraria
6.1 La asignación de los miembros del Consejo será honoraria, no se percibirá remuneración alguna.
Artículo 7: Puntos No Considerados
7.1 Cualquier punto no considerado en este reglamento será sometido a la consideración de los miembros de Binacom para ser resuelto colegiadamente.